Press release! ILCAD 2016

Launch by UIC, LDz and OLE of the 8th edition of ILCAD, International Level Crossing Awareness Day, 10 June in Riga (Latvia), 11 June 2016 in Tallinn (Estonia)

(Paris/Riga/Tallinn, 9 June 2016) On 10 and 11 June, the UIC, the worldwide railway association, the international rail community and many partners from the road sector as well as a number of international institutions will be holding the 8th edition of International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD: www.ilcad.org). To launch this worldwide campaign an international conference on level crossing safety will be hosted by “Latvian Railways” (LDz) on 10 June in Riga (Latvia), followed by a technical visit in Tallinn (Estonia) on 11 June organised by Operation Lifesaver Estonia (OLE).

Jean-Pierre Loubinoux:“As in previous years, we are proud to bring together about 40 countries to participate in this global event, either by relaying it on their websites or on social media, or by organising a range of activities around 10-11 June. The partners in ILCAD will be focusing in particular on safety at level crossings, but some will also make the most of the opportunity to raise public awareness of other dangers such as crossing railway lines where it is strictly forbidden to do so, or safety on station platforms. We wish our partners all the best for their campaign.”

Each year, the ILCAD partners choose a different section of the public for their awareness campaign. Since we have been experiencing in a certain number of countries an increasing number of collisions at level crossings involving seniors, we have decided this year to focus on “Senior citizens and people with sensory and mobility restrictions”. ­

As for all other categories of road users, pedestrians and cyclists, collisions may involve seniors who may take wrong decisions either by error or deliberately. For this particular category of persons, misbehaviour can be linked to habit, age problems (decrease of sight, hearing), and to the overestimation of their abilities. Such behaviour which fails to take safety adequately into account, may lead them to act recklessly, leading to severe injuries or even loss of life. They also can put the lives of others at risk, whether those travelling in their vehicles, or rail staff and passengers. To promote the awareness of senior citizens and people with mobility restrictions UIC and LDz have co-produced posters and a new video available on internet and broadcast on TV.
Visit: www.ilcad.org

These communications materials were developed with seniors in mind, but will be useful as a reminder to all other level crossing users and particularly persons with mobility restrictions.

Our accident-prevention message for 2016: “Do not overestimate your abilities near railway tracks!” is for everyone.

Did you know?

Venues of past events:

In 2009 at the European Commission in Brussels

In 2010 at the European Commission in Brussels and at INFRABEL in Belgium

In 2011 at PKP PLK in Warsaw, Poland

In 2012 at RFF in Paris, France

In 2013 at the United Nations (Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva, Switzerland

In 2014 at REFER in Lisbon, Portugal

In 2015 at TCDD in Istanbul, Turkey

Some statistics:

40 countries will take part in ILCAD 2016 www.ilcad.org (Participants link)

In Europe: fatalities at LC amount to 1% of the road fatalities but over 25% of railway fatalities; 555 collisions in Europe in 2012 (322 fatalities and 364 serious injuries). Visit safetydb.uic.org (pdf) and www.era.europa.eu (pdf)

Worldwide, the 65-and-over population will more than double rising from over 600 million today to 1.6 billion by 2050 (8.5 % today / 17% of the global population in 2050), according to “An Aging World: 2015”: www.census.gov (pdf). This new report from the US Census Bureau examines the continuing global aging trend and projected growth of the 65-and-over population, with an emphasis on the differences among world regions. It is observed in all countries but more in Europe and in Asia. Japan is the oldest country in the world and will retain that position in 2050. Worldwide, the 80-and-over population will triple by 2050 to 446.6 million against 126.4 in 2015. The average life expectancy should rise from 68.6 today to 76.2 in 2050. Source: www.census.gov (link)

Already today, but even more in the future, an aging population still driving, biking or walking through level crossings might become a greater issue for our society. In some countries medical exams are obligatory for seniors to continue driving.

Some countries like Japan have been particularly concerned by the aging population issue for years now and have organised road or level crossing safety campaigns dedicated to seniors.

In some countries (mainly in Europe, when statistics on the category of victims involved in collisions or in fatal accidents are available), collisions with seniors may amount to 18% of the total number of collisions at level crossings, and fatalities among seniors may amount to 38% of the total number of fatalities.